Systems are known that are used in the furniture industry today to apply adhesive two-dimensionally to furniture parts, including, for example, two dimensional panels. Known systems may utilize an open glue pot and roller to apply adhesive via direct contact between the roller and the panel moving past the roller.
In order to resolve problems associated with open glue pot systems, “closed” systems employing a “hot melt unit” have been developed that melt the adhesive material and pump it through a heated hose at high pressure to a gun or dispensing head. The dispensing head is typically mounted on a frame, and the panel material is conveyed past the applicator head by a transport device. During operation, the adhesive is discharged through an elongated slot of a slot nozzle assembly and is dispensed onto the surface of the substrate being conveyed past the slot. The slot is usually oriented transverse to the direction of the relative motion between the dispensing head and the substrate.
Other systems may include adhesive applicators that have grooves or ridges which aid in the distribution of adhesive on the substrate. The grooves are directed generally along the direction of travel of the substrate and included an output therein in communication with the grooves.
None of the known systems, however, is suitably designed to cope with warped panels. This may result in the substrate moving relative to an adhesive dispenser and adhesive being applied beyond its intended target. Moreover, known systems may not permit the application of a consistent pattern along the entire length of the substrate. More particularly, known systems result in the substrate moving away from a discharge of the dispenser as a trailing portion of the substrate moves past the dispenser.